People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Botswana
Botswana: People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) was 16.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation, rural in Botswana, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of rural population.
Analysis
In 2024, people practicing open defecation, rural in Botswana stood at 16.7%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 6.2% on the previous year and down 39.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Botswana peaked at 43.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 16.7%, in 2024.
Botswana ranks 34th of 171 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 43.1% | — |
| 2001 | 42.0% | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 40.9% | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 39.8% | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 38.7% | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 37.6% | -2.8% |
| 2006 | 36.5% | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 35.4% | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 34.3% | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 33.2% | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 32.1% | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 31.0% | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 29.9% | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 28.8% | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 27.7% | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 26.6% | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 25.5% | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 24.4% | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 23.3% | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 22.2% | -4.7% |
| 2020 | 21.1% | -5.0% |
| 2021 | 20.0% | -5.2% |
| 2022 | 18.9% | -5.5% |
| 2023 | 17.8% | -5.8% |
| 2024 | 16.7% | -6.2% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 16.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3%, 62.3× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 16.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.7%, 85% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 38.1% | 33.2% | 43.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.1% | 22.2% | 32.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.9% | 16.7% | 21.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 31 Zimbabwe 18.8% compare
- 32 Marshall Islands 18.7% compare
- 33 Papua New Guinea 17.3% compare
- 35 Afghanistan 15.4% compare
- 36 Laos 14.3% compare
- 37 Guinea-Bissau 14.2% compare
More health data for Botswana
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.75 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 281 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.6484 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0579 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9109 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0591 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Botswana?
- People practicing open defecation, rural in Botswana was 16.7% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 43.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.7% in 2024.
- How does Botswana rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
- Botswana ranks 34th out of 171 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
People practicing open defecation refers to the percentage of the population defecating in the open, such as in fields, forest, bushes, open bodies of water, on beaches, in other open spaces or disposed of with solid waste.